Gossip & Rumors
Tommy to O: Racist E-Mail a "Big Fat Lie"

Tommy Hilfiger has never been kicked off Oprah's show ... because he's never even been on Oprah. But today, the preppy designer appeared for the first time with O to refute an ugly urban legend that's been circulating for over a decade.

An e-mail first popped up about ten years ago -- and has recently resurfaced -- which alleges that Hilfiger was booted off the set of "Oprah" when he supposedly admitted that he intended his designs for "upper-class white people," not for Blacks, Jews, Asians or Latinos. Turns out that Hilfiger never said anything of the sort -- anywhere -- and that he wasn't even a guest on the show.

Hilfiger was so floored by the rumors, he tells O, that he paid FBI investigators "a lot of money" to track down the source, though the closest they got was an unnamed college campus. And, in the end, he says, the rumor's ridiculous because, frankly, what he really wants is money "from anyone that will buy my clothes."

Tags: Oprah, Tommy Hilfiger, TommyHilfiger

Relevant Posts

Reader Comments

(Page 3 of 7) Previous 15 Comments | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

31. Suzanne, honey, try to get some help. It disturbs me to think that you are carrying around all of this anger in your heart. Don't you know that harboring this kind of hatred will make you ill, and it will do nothing for those people who have caused you to feel the way you do. I know all of this cannot be your fault, but you can't blame over 30 million people for the few at work that you encounter. I believe that if you will get more education, ask for better assignments at work, try to get a mentor, keep performing at your best, you will eventually be promoted to a better position and away from the people you are with now.

Posted at 10:12PM on May 2nd 2007 by candy

32. Let's not forget that Perez was the first to post information about the secret Britney shows & the first to post videos.
I use both Perez & Tmz, because there are times when Tmz falls behind & times when Perez falls behind.
Also tmz has sometimes sourced Perez & the same goes for Perez.

Posted at 10:37PM on May 2nd 2007 by um..yea

33. Also...why did it take that long for Tommy to say something, or even Oprah??
That investigation did take awhile as well.

Posted at 10:38PM on May 2nd 2007 by um..yea

34. #28. Are you stupid? THAT INTERVIEW NEVER OCCURRED! Numerous PRO-minority groups like the NAACP have even released statements saying that. WHY WOULD NUMEROUS BLACK ORGANIZATIONS DEFEND TH AND SAY IT NEVER HAPPENED? Because it didn't! Tommy Hilfiger might be a racist idiot, but he NEVER appeared on "Oprah" and made racist comments. Also, he has supported minority groups and their organizations long BEFORE that accusation was even made. Stop being stupid and spreading lies. You have Oprah, the speaker, and NUMEROUS organizations saying it never happened. Believe me, if it happened, there WOULD be a tape of it & it WOULD be available. How stupid can you get? Go spread your lies elsewhere!

Posted at 11:34PM on May 2nd 2007 by 28lied

35. Suzanne you need some help!!!!!! It is people like you that go to universities , post offices and starting shooting everyone in your path. You have too much anger in your heart and you need to seek the comfort of the good Lord himself and ask him to help you change all of that penned up anger and turn it into love and compassion for others...

Posted at 11:06PM on May 2nd 2007 by i love african americans

36. How funny..I actually heard this rumor back in '92 or so . That was when it was extremely popular among high school students (me included). I was upset when I heard this too. I'm glad it didn't turn out to be true... because that was the reason why my friends and I stopped buying from Tommy Hilfiger since then.

Posted at 11:38PM on May 2nd 2007 by lynn

37. That bitch Suzanne is crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 12:06AM on May 3rd 2007 by Love my color

38. Tommy Hilfinger has to realize that there will be someone for will use the race card to ruin his business.

Posted at 12:10AM on May 3rd 2007 by George B Vieto

39. I think suzanne has somewhat of a point. We all have experiences dealing with a different race than ours & we may think that the majority of that race is how we first perceive them to be.

I've read this elsewhere but they made a good point.
I hate how blacks always complain that the white man has held them back & they are the reason why blacks have not made it to the top.
Well jews were the 1st to be in ghettos & suffered the holocaust but they came up & out of the ghettos.
When Japan was bombed by the americans, they came up also & have become amazingly successful.

Blacks need to put the blame on themselves & not white americans.

lol..but of course this isn't about blacks & whites, it's about Tommy. I thought the rumor was true but i guess not. I have never bought anything made from him.

Posted at 12:23AM on May 3rd 2007 by um..yea

40. Suzanne its O-P-R-A-H and to the stupid idiot that agreed with her, nothing she said was true. You should be praying that she does not go to your school.We do not need another incident.

Posted at 12:26AM on May 3rd 2007 by Love my color

41. just because people are talking about blacks doesn't mean that they're white.

Like i've said before, whites aren't the only race that talk negatively about blacks.

Posted at 12:36AM on May 3rd 2007 by nia

42. Yes, "um... yeah" (#55), you're right. For example, while I don't hate this race, I really, really dislike Asian males. They have such a superiority complex. They're so arrogant and sharp (short-tempered) and very finicky people. I'd NEVER get into a gay relationship w/ an Asian male. I have yet to meet an Asian male who_hasn't_ rubbed me the wrong way.

Hey, at least Tommy Hilfiger isn't peddling that over-priced, over-hyped C.K. crap!!!!

Posted at 12:31AM on May 3rd 2007 by ScoutsCanada

43. #55 you all think to highly of yourselves. I'm black and 85% of my friends and we do not sit around and talk about what the white man has done. And, if you don't know we have overcome slavery. See it was a time when slaves were hung if we could read or write. But guess what? You all had a jump start on us. And now you have black CEO's, DOCTORS, LAWYERS, MAYORS, JUDGES, and a FUTURE BLACK PRESIDENT. So no, we all do not live in the ghetto.

Posted at 12:38AM on May 3rd 2007 by Who's your next president

44. Does anybody even wear Tommy Hilfiger?

www.Speedmonkey.net

Posted at 12:38AM on May 3rd 2007 by Monkey

45. Well, it looks as though sales are sluggish for the homogenous clothier so he has to create some "buzz", and going on the big "O" is how you do it. Good on ya Tommy!

www.Gossipgonewild.com

Posted at 12:40AM on May 3rd 2007 by Gossip Mongerer

Previous 15 Comments | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments